Healthcheck for Australian Fisheries

In general, Australian fisheries are seen as world leading with regard to research and management, yet many Australians lack information to judge aspects of fishery performance they value. Recent events have shown that... [ view full abstract ]

In general, Australian fisheries are seen as world leading with regard to research and management, yet many Australians lack information to judge aspects of fishery performance they value. Recent events have shown that information about fishery performance with regard to target species is no longer sufficient. Increasing attention in the media and society-at-large is now given to a broader range of concerns. Thus, for Australian fisheries, it is no longer just about catching fish - it is about a sustainable industry and management of a broader range of factors. We must develop a framework for transparently, independently and comprehensively reporting on these broader issues. We describe the results from the Healthcheck project – a national strategic FRDC project to develop an approach to evaluate the sustainability of Australian fisheries - consistently, comprehensively and transparently. The evaluation includes social, economic and governance factors not consistently included in fishery assessments to-date, alongside the usual biological considerations, such as stock status. This comprehensive assessment tool will support the transparent and efficient recording of fishery data, such as species by-catch or economic performance and work in tandem with the Status of Key Australian Fish Stocks (SAFS) report as the ‘go to’ source of overview information about individual fisheries. A prototype online evaluation tool provides a clear and independent view of the sustainability strengths and challenges for Australian fisheries.